FICA: Risk management and Compliance Toolkit For Accountants and Auditors
Overview
Amendments to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) came into effect on 31 December 2022
Itβs important to note that the enhanced compliance requirements occasioned by these amendments apply to a wider range of commercial activities. This is because amendments to Schedule 1 of the FICA mean more individuals and businesses have, by definition, become accountable institutions.
Accounting and Auditing firms that are regarded as accountable institutions are required to register with the Financial Intelligence Centre. Failure to register with the FIC can lead to administrative sanctions, including fines.
In addition to registering with the FIC, accountable institutions are required to fulfil certain regulatory obligations, such as:
- Implementing customer identification and verification processes;
- Conducting customer due diligence;
- Appointing a compliance officer;
- Training employees on FICA compliance;
- Undertaking business risk assessments; and
- Maintaining and implementing a risk management and compliance program.
This HUB includes all the necessary policies and procedures that accounting and auditing firms may need in order to comply, as well as the necessary annexures to assist with the successful implementation of the Risk Management and Compliance Programme.
Introduction to money laundering
What is money laundering?
What is terrorist financing?
What is Proliferation Financing?
What is the purpose of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA)
What is the role of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC)?
Offences
Money laundering offence
Offences subject to administrative penalties
Offences subject to a maximum of 15 years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding R100 million
Administrative sanctions
The Acts and Regulations
The Acts and Regulations
Definitions
Beneficial owner
Business relationship
Cash
Certified copy of a document
Domestic Prominent Influential Person (DPIP)
Foreign Politically Exposed Person (FPEP)
Identity Document
Knowledge
Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO)
Proceeds of unlawful activities
Property
Property associated with terrorist and related activities.
Prescribed amount of a single transaction
Prospective client
Prominent Influential Person (PIP)
Single transaction
Unlawful activity
Registering with the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC)
Method of registration
How to add goAML URL as a trusted site
How to enable pop-ups
Use of e mail addresses
Registration of the Compliance Officer
Registration of the firm
Step by step instructions on how to register
Centralisation of registration - delegation
Updating of details
Methods of receiving and responding to communications from the Centre
Failing to register with the FIC
Why is our firm an accountable institution?
Item 2 of schedule 1 of the FIC Act
Why are trusts being used for money laundering purposes?
What can our firm as a trust service provider do to combat money laundering?
Scope and purpose of the Risk Management and Compliance Hub (RMCH)
Purpose and objective of the Risk Management and Compliance Hub (RMCH))
Risk Management Compliance Governance
Responsibiliy of management and those charged with Governance
Approval and adoption of the Risk Management and Compliance Hub (RMCH)
Implementation of the Risk Management and Compliance Programme (RMCP)
Annual review of the Risk Management and Compliance Programme (RCMP)
Appointment and responsibility of the compliance / Reporting officer
Appointment of the Compliance/ Reporting Officer
Responsibilities of the Compliance officer
Advising the Centre of clients
Obligation to advise the Centre of clients of the firm
Implementing a Risk Based Approach (RBA)
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Obligation to implement an effective Risk Management Compliance Program (RMCP)
Risk-rating methodology
Responding to identified risks
Business level Risk assessment
Control measuresΒ Β
Customer due diligence
- Meaning of Customer Due Diligence (CDD)
- Timing of verification
- Activities considered to be a business relationship or single transaction
- IdentificationΒ and verification of existing and prospective clients
- Verification and corroboration of the clients identity
- Understanding and obtaining information about the business relationship
- Anonymous clients and clients acting under false or fictitious names
- Money Laundering threats and vulnerabilities pased by international geographic areas
- Establish if a person is a Domestic Politically Exposed Person (DPEP)
- Establish if a person is a Foreign Politically Exposed Person (FPEP)
- Obtaining additional information from a client which poses a high risk of money laundering
- Establishing and verifying the identities of natural persons/ sole proprietor
- Assessing the risk of a natural person/ sole proprietor
- Establishing and verifying the identities ofΒ corporate entity
- Assessing the risk ofΒ corporate entity
- Establishing and verifying the identities ofΒ partnership
- Assessing the risk of a partnership
- Establishing and verifying the identities ofΒ a trust
- Assessing the risk of aΒ trust
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Establish and verify the identity of a Non-Profit Organization
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- Assessing the risk of a Non-Profit Organisation
- Establish and Verify the Identity of a Goverment Entity
- Assessing the risk of a Goverment Entity
- Ongoing due diligence
- Doubts about veracity of previously obtained information
- Inability to conduct customer due diligence
- Maintaining the correctness of the clients information
- Impact of the protection of Personal Information Act. 2023 on the identification and verification requirements of the FIC Act
Record keeping
- Introduction
- Keeping of customer due diligence records
- Keeping records of transactions
- Duration for which records must be kept
- Recprds kept by third parties
Training relating to anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing compliance
- Obligation to provide training to all employees
- Training plan for employees: Course outline
- Training session for partners and compliance reporting officers
Screening of employees
- Duty to screen employees
Targeted financial sanctions aimed at terrorist financing
Scrutinsing person`s and entities against the UN 1267 sanctions list
Scrutinizing persons and entities against the Targeted Financial Sanctions List (TFS)
Prohibitions relating to persons and entities identified by security Council of the United Nations
Applications for Permitted Financial services
Reporting cash transactions above R 49 999.99
Obligation to reporting cash transactions above R 49 999.99
Payment or receipt of cash via a third party
Prescribed particulars to be reported to the Centre
Reporting suspicious and unusual transactions
Obligation to report suspicious and unusual transactions
Meaning of suspicion
Types of reports
Indicators of suspicious and unusual transactions
Indicators of suspicious and unusual activity
Manner of reporting
Reporting suspicious and unusual transactions
Time period for submitting a report
Threshold for reporting suspicious and unusual transactions.
Prescribed particulars to be reported to the centre
Continuing with a transaction after a report is made to the FIC
Request by the Financial Intelligence Centre to discontinue the transaction
Dealing with further requests for information from the FIC
Reporting by temporary workers
Tipping-off
Confidentiality rules with regards to reporting to the Centre
Protection for person`s reporting to the centre
Reporting Failure
Defence
Failure to report suspicious or unusual transactions
Reporting of property associated with terrorist and related activities
Introduction
Obligation to report property associated with terrorist and related activities
Freezing of the property and ceasing to conduct business
Manner of reporting to the FIC
Intervention by Centre
Monitoring orders
Failure to file a report in terms if section 28A
Reporting fraud of theft under the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA)
Obligation to report
Making a report
Additional obligations for trustee of trust in terms of the Trust Property Control Act
FrRegistration on the Master`s Web Portal
Duty of a trustee of a trust
Master`s authorisation to act
Disclosure to accountable institutions
Recording of details of accountable institutions
Disclosure of beneficial ownership
Beneficial ownership in relation to a trust
Create, maintain and file the beneficial ownership register with the master of the high Court
Obtain an Engagement Letter and Power of Attorney from the client
Trust registration beneficial owners details on captured on SARS system
Requirements for dregistering a Trust
Failure by trustee to account or perform duties
Beneficial onership disclosures for trusts and companies Training Video
Frequently asked questions
Submission of Beneficial Ownership registers to CIPC
Requirement to submit an Annual Return
Definition of a beneficial owner in terms of the Companies Act
Holder of a beneficial interest in a company
Definition of an "Affected Company"
Filling requirements for companies that are not "Affected Companies"
Filling requirements of companies that are Affected Companies
Date when the information must be filed with the CIPC
Supporting documents that must be filed with the CIPC
Obtain an Engagement Letter and Power of Attorney from the client
Step by step instructions on how to capture beneficial ownership details on the CIPC Portal
Beneficial ownership disclosures - Clarification on uncertainties
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Submission of a risk and compliance return to the Financial Intelligence Centre
Obligation to submit a Risk and Compliance return to the FIC
Procedures to be performed by the auditor during the audit of financial statements
Audit`s responsibility toward compliance with laws and regulations by the client during an audit
Acceptance or retention of audit clients
Identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement
Consideration of fraud during the audit
Compliance with laws and regulations
Procedures where possible money laundering is discovered
Going Concern Considerations
Management representations
Finalising the engagement
The registered auditor`s report on financial statements
The duty to report a reportable irregularity in terms of the auditing profession act
Background
Section 45(1) prescribes as follows:
Policy
Procedures
Procedures to be performed by the independent reviewer during the independent review of financial statements.
Independent reviewers responsibility towards compliance with laws and regulations by the client during an independent review
Acceptance or retention of Independent Review clients
FICA training
FICA training for employees
FICA training for partners and compliance officers
Summary of the RMCP
Summary of the RMCP
From the Financial Intelligence Centre
Directives
- Directive 6